| “For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” – Matthew 9:21 |
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| A PATIENT OF FAILED PHYSICIANS BELIEVES JESUS IS THE GREAT PHYSICIAN As Matthew lays out his book about Jesus Christ he will in chapters 8 and 9 show the POWER that Jesus has. He will tell one story after another so we can learn that there is absolutely nothing He cannot handle. Whether it is a disease, a demon, or even death, Jesus is more powerful than any of these things. In these chapters, He healed what was considered unhealable as seen when He healed the leper and the paralytics. In these chapters, He will calm the raging storm on the sea and in doing so astonish with amazement His own disciples as they just could not believe how powerful He was. As Matthew tells these amazing stories of the POWER of Jesus, he tells how two different people approached Him, both bringing to Him basically impossible situations. First would be a man named Jarius who was a leader in the synagogue. He comes to Jesus with one of the most stunning requests one could give a person as he “bowed down before Jesus, and said, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.” Talk about asking for the impossible to happen!! To the request, as you probably know, Jesus got up and followed him and Matthew will tell that Jesus would raise this girl from the dead! As Jesus is making His way to Jarius’ home Matthew tells of a second person who will display amazing, and in some ways, alarming faith. Matthew describes her in verse 20 as being a woman who has suffered for 12 years from a blood issue. Mark tells us that with the health issue she “had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.” (Mark 5:26) Luke tells us she could not be healed by anyone. (Luke 8:43) What a sad and painful story. However, this poor woman somehow hears about Jesus and all the powerful things He has done. In her desperation, she decides to go where Jesus is and get the help she desperately needs. But unlike Jarius who will go up to Jesus to ask the impossible this woman comes up behind Jesus with the belief that all she needs to do is TOUCH HIS GARMENT. What faith she had to believe that just a touch of His garment would bring about the healing numerous physicians had not been able to bring about over 12 long years. I feel like I want to stand up and APPLAUD her. What about you? Some might describe her as having superstitious faith but what we read is really simple faith. It was not superstitious or even superior or supernatural faith but simple, pure, genuine faith. She had heard of His work with others and believed that He could change her life! So, by faith, she went to Him and touched His garment, and HE CHANGED HER! I trust you will pause and ponder the actions of this desperate hurting woman and decide to take your needs to Jesus! Verse to DATE the Word on September 21 (9/21) is Matthew 9:21. It says, “For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” Continue Strong trusting Him with Everything! And remember to DATE the WORD! |